Things Were Simple
by GMGirl
Summary: Valerie likes it when things are simple. However, after meeting a certain halfa, things were no longer simple. DxV, femslash


Title: Things Were Simple

Rating: PG 13

Summary: Valerie likes it when things are simple. However, after meeting a certain halfa, things were no longer simple.

Warning: This has femslash. You no likey, you no ready or you shall be mocked mercilessly for not reading.

_It was a simple thing at first._

She was Danny's cousin. Of course she would be nice to her. Even if things hadn't worked out between her and Danny, they were still friends.

_Things were simple._

Things were simple with the new ghost on the scene. One who looked like the Ghost Boy's little sister. Though, there was an odd thing she noticed. The Ghost Girl never fired a shot. Only evaded and tricked to lose her. Still, she chased the Ghost Girl.

_Things were simple._

Dani was a lot like her cousin. Caring, usually kind, awkward, sometimes very naive, and very sweet. Though, it always seemed like she was hiding something from Valerie.

_Things were simple…till she spoke instead of ran._

"He's using you!" The Ghost Girl had shouted when Valerie had finally got her trapped, net pining her to a tree.

Valerie had paused, confused at this outburst. At first she scolded herself, thinking the Ghost Girl had been about to phase through the tree. She readied to fire when she appeared again, but the thing was…the girl hadn't move.

"This isn't a trick." The Ghost Girl said, looking at her with sad eyes.

"Who are you talking about?" Valerie demanded, wanting to see what this ghost was up to. She had noticed that the chase was a lot easier this time. Was that part of this trick?

"Your supplier." The girl said. "He wants you to destroy Danny Phantom. He wants you to destroy me by now as well."

"Of course. You're evil ghosts!" Valerie said, training a gun on the girl.

The girl looked at her with sad eyes. Familiar eyes. "We're not the ones who are evil, Valerie." She said sadly, almost painfully, and phased through the tree.

Calling her by her name. That was what made her froze. That is what allowed the Ghost Girl to escape. How could she know who she was or her supplier?

_That's when things got complicated._

Dani had been staring at the night sky in the park that night. Valerie had been patrolling, hoping to see the Ghost Girl again when she saw her.

Why was she out so late? Was the thought that ran through Valerie's head as she landed and her suit went back into her backpack.

"Dani?" Valerie said as she approached her.

Dani looked at her in shock. That's when Valerie saw them. Dani looked away, scrubbing at the tears Valerie hadn't seen in the sky.

"Dani, are you all right?" Valerie asked, sitting down beside her.

"Of course." Dani said, forcing the cheerful tone.

"I saw the tears." Valerie said in a direct way.

Dani was silent a few moments and laughed slightly. "Lying to the observant one isn't a good idea, huh?" She asked, looking at Valerie with a small smile, but her eyes still looked saddened.

Dani had grown over the years. She looked about Danny's height when he was fourteen. She still wore the tomboy clothes and her cap. She really did look just like Danny except for being a girl.

_Maybe that's when things got complicated? When she noticed this?_

"I want to be an astronaut." Dani said after there had been a comfortable silence for several minutes, looking at the sky.

"I thought you got past copying your cousin stage last year?" Valerie asked.

"I did." Dani said. "However, that's something I want. I want to go beyond anywhere anyone else has. I want to do something great. I want to do something incredible…and have people know." She said, looking distant. "I want to stop being a shadow."

"A shadow? You're not a shadow." Valerie said.

"Yes I am." Dani said. "Anything I do, is always something Danny's done first. That, or something I can never say." She said and looked at Valerie. "When your father found out, did you feel relieved?" She asked.

"My…father?" Valerie said questioning. "What do you mean?"

_Maybe if she had just gone home, in time for her curfew, things wouldn't have gotten complicated._

"Valerie, I know what you do." Dani said, looking at her with a sad smile. "I'm happy you do it, but sad at the same time."

Valerie looked at her in confusion. "What are you talking about?" She asked.

Dani looked up at the sky. "I don't want you to get hurt." She said.

"Huh?" Valerie said, completely confused.

"Vlad will tear his tools apart when they are no longer useful." Dani said flatly, knowingly, and very venomously.

Valerie jerked slightly, shocked by the girl's tone.

_If only she hadn't stayed to listen…_

"Dani…how would you know that? How would you know about my connection to him?" Valerie asked, sounding uncertain and skeptical.

Dani looked at her and smiled. The smile just added more to the confusion. It was a smile that should never have been worn by someone like Dani! Not in this context.

It was a smile, sure, but one full of knowing of something horrible. Something dreadful. Something full of regret, but…still somehow fond. Something that would have made a girl different than Dani.

_…maybe things would have never gotten so complicated._

"I'm not Danny's cousin." Dani said.

Valerie stared. "But you…look almost like his twin when he was your age." She said.

Dani looked at the sky. "I know. It's because of Vlad that I turned out that way. That's why I am happy you ghost hunt, but still sad as well. What you do is very important to me personally, as well as safety wise. I am sad because Vlad is using you." She said.

Valerie kept staring at her in confusion. "Now, wait a moment!" She said, standing up, standing in front of Dani. "I've known you two years. What could have Vlad possibly have done to you?" She asked.

"He's my father." Dani said simply.

Valerie stared. "What?" She asked, the only thing coming to mind.

_Maybe if things weren't questioned._

"Well, as most as a father as I could have had. Then again, I suppose Danny could be said the same of. It's his DNA." Dani said.

"What?" Valerie said, getting more confused by the minute. "Danny's only two years older than you!"

"Actually, it's 14 years and 9 months. Roughly." Dani replied.

Valerie frowned, looking terribly confused. She didn't understand what Dani was talking about. "Is this a trick of yours?" She asked.

"If it was a trick, I wouldn't know you were a ghost hunter." Dani said and stood up, walking around Valerie to the sidewalk and looked straight up. She reached up a hand. "You know how far I can reach the skies like this? Only as far as my hand can reach. I can go higher another way, but I want to reach the skies human. I want to be human."

She did know! What was she talking about now though? "Dani…I think you need to explain this better." Valerie said.

Dani continued to look at the sky. "My life was the trick, Valerie. Everything I told you about my past was the trick. I am not Danny's cousin. I am not related to him anymore than by DNA. DNA that isn't even mine to have." She said.

"What are you talking about? You say you have his DNA, but Vlad's your father. This doesn't make sense." Valerie said.

"That's the reason why I am happy you ghost hunt personally. Because of what you do, Vlad got the DNA he wanted. The DNA to make me." Dani said, staring at the sky.

"What?!" Valerie yelped. "You're talking in circles!"

"I am not alive. I am a reflection. I am a shadow. I am a fragment. I am a copy of Danny." Dani said. "I am a clone."

_Maybe if she had just laughed and brushed it off as a joke._

"A…what?" Valerie said, looking dumbstruck.

"I am a clone. Spliced DNA of Danny. The son Vlad always wanted. And the Ghost Boy. A hybrid of the two. That's what Vlad wanted." Dani said.

Valerie just stared at her, silent.

"I envy you Valerie." Dani said. "Your dad accepted you after he knew what you did. After you lied. He said you couldn't, right? Vlad complained about him interfering. However, telling you to stop meant that he cared." She said.

"Dani…." Valerie said, wanting to say something, but not sure what.

"I wish I had that." Dani said sadly.

Valerie blinked. "Why don't you? Because you aren't part ghost? How am I supposed to know you're even a clone? Why wouldn't the Fenton's question about you?" She demanded.

"Because in their house, I'm the exchange student from Canada. Jack signed the form without realizing. Of course, the story is not going to last much longer. That's why I needed to tell you." Dani said.

"Tell me what?" Valerie asked.

"That we're not the ones who are evil." Dani said, staring at the skies. "I don't want you hurt Valerie. Vlad wants me gone because I betrayed him in achieving his perfect child. His perfect son. If I did what he asked, I would have died. Valerie, he didn't kick me out because I wasn't part ghost. He did it because I wasn't going to do something that could get someone I cared about killed and myself."

"You're not making sense." Valerie said. "You can't possibly be a clone." She said.

_Why did she have to say the same words as the ghost?_

"I wish that were true. I wish I was human. Even being my own person would do. Not a shadow, a fragment. However, that is something I can never have. Though, despite all this, I am still a hero." Dani said and looked at Valerie with sad eyes. Those eyes. "Valerie, he'll tear you apart. Don't let him."

Valerie stepped back, her eyes widening. She knew that look. Even with the eyes being blue, she knew it was the same eyes. "You're…the Ghost Girl…."

_She should have left then._

Dani smiled that sad smile and closed her eyes. A pair of rings formed around her waist and traveled across her body. She opened her usual sky blue eyes to reveal glowing green.

_Maybe if she just fired at her, it wouldn't have ended up like this._

"I can reach the sky like this." The Ghost Girl, no, Dani said, looking up at the sky. "But still, I can't touched the stars. The stars I'll never touch. If I try, they'll notice. They'll see what I am. They'll see the same DNA as Danny Fenton. They'll see the ghost in me. I don't want to die Valerie. Not like that. If I was to die, I wish for it to be for someone I loved and cared for."

"I could kill you now." Valerie said.

_She never knew why she said that._

Dani looked at Valerie and smiled, this time looking somewhat happy. "If you ended up safe, I wouldn't care."

"Why?" Valerie asked.

"I told you…" Dani said and stepped closer to Valerie. "I am a shadow of Danny. Nothing I do is my own. That counts those who I care about." She said and stood right in front of Valerie, looking up into his eyes. "Unlike Danny, though, I know my life will never last as long as his. Which means I do things without as much hesitation as him."

Before Valerie could say a word, Dani leaned up slightly and kissed her.

_By that point, she knew things would never be simple again._

Dani disappeared after that. It has been two weeks and still no one had seen her.

Danny looked like he was about to have a fit.

Jazz had already had one.

Tucker kept looking for rumors of her.

Sam made a deal with her parents to have detectives try to find her without question.

Paulina will never let go of those pictures of Sam in floral print out of her sight.

Jack and Maddie simply thought she went back to Canada.

Valerie just stayed silent.

_Things that were simple, were now far too complicated._

Valerie decided she need to find whatever curious cat that snuck its way in her mind needed to die.

Danny Phantom looked at her in surprise. "W-what?"

Too late now. "Why did Vlad Masters make Danielle Fenton with your DNA?" Valerie asked again, gun trained on Phantom so he didn't move from his spot on the ground.

"How did you…I mean, what are you talking about?" Phantom asked, looking nervous. "I don't know anyone named Danielle."

"She told me. Now spill or I'll waste you now." Valerie threatened.

Phantom froze and looked at her questioningly. "How…much did she tell you?"

"That she's a clone from yours and Danny Fenton's DNA. She did something to keep him from his perfect son and threw her out." Valerie answered.

Phantom was silent a few moments and glared at her. "Did you hurt her?!" He demanded, looking angry.

Valerie studied his face for a few moments and stepped back, putting down the gun. "No. Even if she was that Ghost Girl, Danny knew about her. He had to. There had to be more to the story than what she was saying. A reason he would help her. Why he would lie to his parents about her coming from Canada if there wasn't?" She said.

_Why did she spill all this to her worst enemy?_

Phantom sat up, looking at Valerie. "What did she tell you about Vlad? Why did she tell you?" He asked, looking concerned.

"She said…he would tear me apart. She said she didn't want me to get hurt. She also said you weren't the evil ones." Valerie said.

"Anything else?" Phantom asked, looking worried. "She left without saying anything to anyone. From what I hear."

Valerie was silent for several minutes, not answering.

Phantom stood up. "I know you don't like me, but…she's like my little sister. Please?" He asked.

"She said…she was a copy of Danny. She said she knew she would never live as long as him." Valerie said, not able to meet the Phantom's eyes. Something about them unnerved her. "How that allowed her not to hesitate as much."

Phantom was silent a few moments. "She said she didn't want you to be hurt by Vlad?" He asked. "Did she say why?"

_Why did everything have to go like that?_

"She said she was a hero. She didn't want me to get hurt like her, I guess." Valerie said.

Phantom was silent a few moments. "She told you her feelings?" He asked.

Valerie looked up in surprise. "You knew?"

"I know her better than most people." Phantom said. "I may not be able to tell people's feelings for me, but I can see what she felt. Let me guess. She said it was a copy of Danny's old feelings?" He asked.

Valerie stared. "How did you…?"

"How do you think?" Phantom asked.

Valerie assumed that Dani had told him. "Yes." She answered.

"They're not." Phantom said. "She knew more about this than him at that time, I can tell you that. Which means her love is her own. She just doesn't fully believe she can get away from the original yet. Not completely, anyway."

_Maybe if it was thought out more._

Valerie stared at him. "How would you know all this?"

"I told you. I know her better than most." Phantom said. "I care about her. I want to make sure she's happy. That's why everytime she couldn't evade you; I had to blast your board. It's very frustrating trying to stop you and not hurt you."

"Not…hurt me?" Valerie said questioningly.

"Every time I hurt you, it was either by accident or just trying to get you to leave me alone because you would get hurt worse more if you didn't. Anything serious was definitely an accident. Dani told the truth. We're not the one who are evil." Phantom said.

"So who's the villain then? Vlad?" Valerie asked, rolling her eyes.

"Actually…." Phantom froze, frowning, looking to be deep in thought. "She wouldn't…" He muttered after a few minutes.

_That's when fate had become an inevitably._

"VLAD!" Valerie shouted, kicking open his door. Danny had disappeared the same day Phantom did. That's when she knew. The Ghost Boy and Girl were not the villains. It was Vlad. Too bad she didn't fully realize that till two days later.

After a few moments, Vlad walked in. "Why, Miss Gray, might I ask what's this unexpected visit about? Amity Park is quite far from Wisconsin, after all." He said in a smooth voice.

Valerie glared at Vlad. "Danny and Dani. Where are they?" She demanded.

"Two Danny's? Which two Danny's might you mean?" Vlad asked.

"Daniel and Danielle Fenton." Valerie said. "Or should I say the Ghost Boy and Ghost Girl?" She questioned, crossing her arms, keeping a steady glare on Vlad.

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, my dear?" He asked.

"Danielle told me everything." Valerie said. "About what she really is. About what you did to her."

"Simply a child's game." Vlad said. "Whatever she said was simply her playing, I'm sure."

"A game doesn't mean she'll run away. You don't play a game and make a confession." Valerie said. "I saw her change, Vlad. Now where are they? I know they're here."

"I honestly do not kn…" Vlad started, but then froze.

Valerie had trained an ecto gun on him. "It's made for ghosts. However, it can still kill a person with the right shot." She said, her eyes serious.

Vlad raised an eyebrow and turned around. "Fine then. Follow me." He said curtly.

_She should have known it was too easy._

Danny was passed out in some pod, wrists in shackles.

Dani looked like she was almost fused with the machines. So many wires were on her and so many needles. Beeping from screens that were moderating her vital signs. The signs were weak.

"What have you done to them?! What have you done to her?!" Valerie asked, moving to rush to Dani's aid, whom looked to be in the most need.

Vlad grabbed her arm before she could get closer. "I wouldn't. If you remove them too quickly, you might make her go into shock."

"What are you doing to her?!" Valerie demanded angrily, glaring at him.

"Simply put, recovering data." Vlad said, letting go of Valerie and gesturing to Danny. "He destroyed almost all the previous research. So, to make sure everything is right, I have to recover the data that made Danielle. I suppose it was lucky that the most advanced clone did survive."

"You can't do that to her!" Valerie shouted.

"Oh, you'd be surprised what I can do. The only files on Danielle that the government can get to are the schools' and I can easily get those taken care of. It's easy enough to say Danielle went back to Canada or her family for those who met her." Vlad said, walking over to Dani.

"Not if I tell the truth." Valerie said.

"Were you under the impression you were going to leave?" Vlad asked with an amused tone.

_Maybe if she had just done it another way._

"You're a man in your forties. Do you think you can beat me?" Valerie countered.

"Valerie…." Dani said weakly, opening her eyes.

Valerie looked at her and froze. She had been in her human form. Her eyes were different though. One was still blue. The other was the glowing green.

"Dani…what has he done to you?" Valerie asked, rushing towards her.

"Valerie…run away!" Dani forced out as loudly as she could, which wasn't very loud.

"What?" Valerie said before a blast of energy hit her. She gasped as she hit the ground clutching at the burn at her side. She looked up. "What?" She breathed, seeing that other ghost. The one she saw when the Ghost King took over Amity Park.

_Maybe if she had just listened._

"As a matter of fact, my dear, I do think I can beat you." Plasmius said and fired another blast.

There was then blackness. Also what she thought was her certain doom.

_Maybe something could have been done._

Valerie came back to see a figure over her. A figure with a slight glowing aura and snow-white hair. There were also various ripped wires hanging off her body.

The line going flat was what let Valerie wake up.

"You will not hurt Valerie Vlad!" Dani declared, her voice still sounding weak, her hands glowing green.

"Do you think you can beat me with just a few blasts before you destabilize? That is a foolish idea." Vlad said.

Dani went rigid and glow faded. "No, I can't." She said quietly.

"Now, be a good girl step aside. I'd rather not hurt you. You're still a valuable investment." Vlad said.

"No. I will not move." Dani said, her voice starting to get stronger.

"And why not? You know you can't beat me." Vlad said.

Dani glanced back at Valerie and smiled. She smiled that smile. Then she turned back to Vlad. "Because I am a hero." She said, her voice even now.

_She should have known by then._

"I can't beat you. Valerie can't beat you. Not on our own and my few blasts won't be enough to let her. However, Danny's here too." Dani said.

"You think I will let you free him?" Vlad taunted.

"I know you won't. Which is why I'm buying Valerie time." Dani said. "You forget…my DNA is an exact match to Danny's. It's just unstable. I can still do whatever he can." She said grimly.

_She should have stopped her._

"Valerie, don't move till the silence." Dani whispered and took a deep breath and let out a loud wail.

Valerie stared as she actually saw the noise slam into Vlad. It was only a few seconds, but it looked like it was enough before Dani collapsed to her knees. "Free Danny!" She gasped, as her hands hit the floor.

Valerie didn't move for a moment and looked at Vlad, who had slammed into a wall, but was already starting to move again.

"MOVE!" Dani shouted.

Valerie jumped up and ran for the pod Danny was in and punched through the glass and shook him. "Danny! Wake up!" She shouted.

"Huh…?" Danny groaned, slowly opening his eyes. "Valerie?" He said questioningly.

"You have to wake up! Dani's in danger here!" Valerie said.

"What?!" Danny yelped and remembered what happened and his eyes narrowed. "Right." He said and looked at the shackles. "The big button by the edge of the door. Press it. I can't transform with these on."

"Okay." Valerie said, pressing the button and then activated her suit to form around her.

_So many ifs and maybes, but none are the truth._

"Get Dani out of here!" Danny shouted as he finally grappled Vlad about a minute after he was freed. "I'll handle Vlad!"

"Right!" Valerie said. She knew Dani needed to be taken out of here. She wasn't safe here. She ran towards her and grabbed her off the ground and jumped into the air, the board forming under her feet and she jetted out of the lab.

_Why did things have to stop being simple?_

Valerie set Dani against a tree outside of Vlad's grounds and moved back to help Danny before a hand grabbed her wrist.

Valerie looked back with concern. Dani had looked to be in great pain on the flight here. It was then she noticed it. Her feet were melting into green ectoplasmism. She couldn't stop her gasp.

"I tried, Valerie…I can't keep my form stabilized…" Dani said quietly, her eyes clenched shut, the pain look still on her face.

"What…do you mean?" Valerie asked, not wanting to see the truth.

"I am a shadow of Danny. An imperfect one. The Ghostly Wail…that's what I used. It brings Danny to his knees. Using it…pretty much guaranteed my death." Dani said quietly.

Valerie felt like her blood ran cold.

_Why couldn't things have just stayed simple?!_

"You're…melting." Valerie said quietly.

"Yes. My form is too unstable. The Ghostly Wail is too powerful. I over used my powers. I will become nothing more than ectoplasmism. I will die." Dani said quietly.

"Why?" Valerie asked quietly.

"Because I never wanted you to be hurt." Dani said quietly.

"You confronted Vlad so I wouldn't be hurt?!" Valerie exclaimed, looking at her with wide eyes.

"Vlad hurt me. I know your relationship was no one near as close, but I know how much it would hurt when you knew the truth. When you killed Danny to then find out who he was." Dani said quietly. "I didn't want you to feel that pain."

"Then what about you?! You're going to die now because of me!" Valerie exclaimed.

"No. It's not because of you. It's because of what I am." Dani said and smiled that smile again, opening her eyes to look at Valerie with the two colored eyes that she realized had always been the same.

That smile wouldn't allow her to talk.

_Why did she have to be a hero?_

"I'm a hero, Valerie. Do you know what a hero is?" Dani asked.

"A hero is someone who saves people." Valerie said.

"The simple definition." Dani said.

"What's wrong with simple?" Valerie asked.

Dani looked at her legs, her knees starting to dissolve. "Nothing. Simple is nice." She said. "But the longer definition of a hero…." She started and looked at the sky. "Is a person who does incredible things with or without the recognition. Someone who will forever protect their charges. It doesn't matter who they are. It doesn't matter if they hate them or not. It doesn't matter if the person hates them or not. They will protect them."

"That's complicated." Valerie said.

"It's not done." Dani said, looking at Valerie. "A hero does what's right. Why does a hero do all this? Because they know if they don't protect everyone, someone will get hurt. If someone gets hurt once, another can get hurt. One day, that may be the person they love. No matter what…a hero protects. A hero protects everyone. A hero protects everyone to protect those who they love."

Valerie stared at her sadly. "Even till death?"

"If a hero is going to die before their time, if they do it protecting those they love, they can be happy. I just hope I protected you instead of put you in more danger." Dani said quietly.

Valerie was silent for a few moments before she pulled her into a hug. "Danny says…that your feelings are your own." She said.

"He likes to be nice." Dani said.

"Danny never told me his secret, but you did. You did a lot more. He says you knew more." Valerie said.

"Danny didn't know Vlad was the one who supplied you. He didn't know Vlad was pulling your strings. Like he did me. I knew because what you did let me be created." Dani said, moving up her arms slowly to hug Valerie back. "Even if my life was short…"

"There has to be some way…." Valerie started.

Dani pulled back and put a finger over Valerie's lips to silence her and smiled that damned smile again. She was really starting to hate that smile. It didn't go with Dani! It shouldn't go with Dani!

"There isn't, Valerie. I will die." Dani said. "My legs are already gone." She said and laughed, looking down. "It makes me wonder…will I become a ghost? Will I be able to go to Heaven? Hell?" She said. "Do I have a soul to move on?"

"Dani…" Valerie said, hating this. Hating the whole situation. It was too complicated! Dani couldn't die! Not like this!

Dani looked at Valerie. "I love you." She said, smiling a serene smile.

Valerie stared, the words making her heart skip a beat.

_Things were too complicated._

Dani smiled. "I'm also a bit more observant of emotions than Danny. It happens when you try to avoid being used again by someone like Vlad." She said.

"Dani, I…" Valerie's words faltered.

Dani smiled and kissed Valerie, softly, but there was still so much emotion and passion in it. She pulled back and smiled that smile with just one difference. No regret. "I know." She whispered. "I'm sorry." She said. "For leaving so soon, but then again…even if my feelings are the same, I am still a shadow. I never belonged in this world." She said and fell back against the tree. "I belong in the world of shadows."

"Dani…" Valerie started and saw her torso was already dissolving. "I love you too." She said quietly, tears forming in her eyes.

Dani smiled happily. "Thank you…." She said.

_Then she was gone._

"This is all who came?" Valerie asked Danny, looking at the others. Tucker, Sam, and Jazz were the only other ones.

"We're the only ones who knew what she was. The only ones really close to her." Danny said. "The only ones who could see her as more than a shadow."

Valerie looked around at the abandoned graveyard. "Why here?" She asked.

"Because Dani technically never existed. We couldn't get a real grave for her." He said sadly.

_Things were complicated._

Valerie traced her fingers over the slightly jagged lines that was Dani's name on the grave marker. "Why did it have to get complicated?" She murmured.

"It wasn't." Danny said, his voice quiet. They were the only two left.

"Why not?" Valerie asked. "It feels complicated."

"Dani loved you. She wanted to protect you. So that's what she tried to do." Danny said.

"That simple, huh?" Valerie asked.

"Yeah. That simple." Danny said.

Valerie sighed and looked at the sky. "Maybe she'll finally reach those stars now." She said and stood up and left the graveyard with Danny.

Danielle 'Dani' Fenton.  
06/23/06-07/14/08  
Beloved Family Member And Friend.  
Brave Hero.  
Her Own Person.

_Things were simple._


End file.
